Beginner’s Box: Transform breadsticks into focaccia

Here’s a terrific bread idea: Focaccia made with refrigerated breadsticks. Instead of baking the sticks in stick form, entwine the dough with other ingredients and shape them in a circle.

Jennifer Mastroianni

Here’s a terrific bread idea: Focaccia made with refrigerated breadsticks.

Instead of baking the sticks in stick form, entwine the dough with other ingredients and shape them in a circle.

The flavor options are endless. Bacon is a great ingredient (see recipe), or replace the bacon with pepperoni (use half a 3.5-ounce package) for an Italian flair.

Cheese and olive focaccia is just as simple. Pull apart four sticks of mozzarella string cheese into 16 strips. Coil the cheese with the dough as described, and sprinkle on two tablespoons of sliced Kalamata olives before baking.

Bacon bread is a tasty replacement for toast with breakfast, and the other flavors can be served as a side or even an entree when paired with a hearty salad.